Today, 4 October 2013 is Mahalaya Amavasya, Pithru Paksha Amavasya. It is Ashwin Amavasya in North Indian Hindi calendars and Bhadrapada Amavasya as per Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu and Kannada calendars (Amavasyant Panchangams).
Amavasya Timings, 4 October 2013
Amavasya begins at 6.32 AM on 4th October and ends on 5th October at 6 AM.
Mahalaya Amavasya marks the end of Bhadrapada Month in Amavasyant calendars while it signifies the end of Krishna Paksha of Ashwin Month in North Indian Hindi calendars.
This Amavasya falls in Purattasi Masam (Purattasi Amavasai) in Tamil calendar, Kanni Masam (Kanni Month Karthuvavu) in Malayalam calendar and Ashin Month Amabashya in Bengali Panjika.
This No Moon is also referred to as Pethara Amavasya (Peddala Amavasya – which is dedicated to dead ancestors) in Andhra Pradesh.
Mahalaya Torpon in Bengal, Pithru Tharpan, Pinda daan, Shraddha, etc are the important rituals to be observed on Mahalaya Amavasya.
It marks the beginning of Devi Paksha, the fortnight dedicated to Goddess Durga Devi.